Various types of archery targets are known, including conventional three-dimensional life-size animal-simulating archery targets. Such targets have a shape resembling that of a game animal, for example, a deer or other animal. Such targets may be formed in a single piece from a lightweight foam material, such as polyurethane foam. Such targets are adapted for use with both broadhead arrows, which comprise a plurality of intersecting razor blades tapering to a sharp point, and field point or target arrows. Critical target areas may be indicated on the target, e.g., by bull's eye markings which are either applied onto or molded into the foam target.
Repeated arrow strikes on a foam archery target will cause the target to deteriorate. This is especially true when broadhead arrows are used. When a broadhead arrow hits a target, the blades forming the arrowhead slice through the target material to a considerable depth. As the target material is hit repeatedly, pieces of the target are cut loose. Therefore, a target is destroyed much more rapidly with broadhead arrows than with field point or target head arrows. However, even when field point or target head arrows exclusively are used, at least a portion of the target will inevitably be destroyed with repeated use.
In practice, a very large proportion of the arrow strikes on an archery target fall within a relatively small portion of the target. For example, an archer will typically aim at an area of the target corresponding to vital organs of the animal which the target represents. Most archers will hit this target or bull's eye area most of the time. Therefore, this target area will be destroyed rapidly, due to repeated arrow strikes, while most of the remaining target remains relatively undamaged.
The functional life of a three-dimensional life-size animal simulating archery target may be extended, and the cost of using such a target reduced, by making replaceable a target section of the archery target which is likely to be destroyed rapidly due to repeated arrow strikes. Instead of forming the target from a single piece of molded foam, a three-dimensional life-size animal simulating archery target may be molded in multiple pieces, which are detachably joined together to form the target. As one piece of the target, i.e., the target section, is destroyed by repeated arrow strikes, this section alone may be replaced, eliminating the need to replace the entire target. Thus, the life of the target is extended, and the operating cost thereof reduced.
An exemplary multi-section three-dimensional life-size animal simulating archery target of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,082 to McKenzie, et al. This patent describes a three-dimensional archery target including head and tail body sections with a replaceable target section positioned therebetween. The target section is connected to the other body sections by dovetail joint structures formed in the molded foam body sections. As the target section, corresponding generally to the chest area of the animal, is destroyed by repeated arrow strikes, it may be replaced. It is noted, however, that the replaceable target section comprises approximately one-third of the total target. Thus, it is relatively expensive to replace. Further, the vertical dovetails holding the body sections together tend to come apart with repeated arrow strikes, due to the dynamic force of arrows impacting the target.
Another known three-dimensional life-size animal-simulating archery target is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,403 to Morrell. This archery target includes a foam body, which may be formed of front and rear body sections connected together by a dovetail joint structure. The foam body includes a target insert receiving recess into which a target insert is placed. The target insert may be filled with packing material, such as cotton molt, for use with only target arrows, or may be formed of foam, for use with both broadhead and target arrows. The target insert may be held in place in the recess using straps and wire. A body cover, which may be made of cloth, or molded in foam, is used to cover the removable and replaceable target insert.